Follow minute-by-minute commentary of the Premier League game between Arsenal
and Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday Jan 22, 2012,
kick-off 16:00 GMT.

If you could clone Robin van Persie as many times as you wanted, how many van Persies would you play in the Arsenal starting XI? That and more to jonathan.liew@telegraph.co.uk

WRAP: There is sure to be further scrutiny of Arsene Wenger's decision to bring off Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and bring on the footballing equivalent of a bashed-up Lada. It seemed a strange decision at the time, but not even the doom-mongeriest doom-monger could have predicted that Arshavin's introduction would prove such a blunder. For every cloud, though, and Oxlade-Chamberlain's first Premier League start was a highly promising one.

And so the end of a day that more or less confirmed that the title will be staying in Manchester this season. It was billed as 'PAYBACK' by Sky, but all that happened was that the Manchester clubs simply dished out more of the same. It will console neither Arsenal nor Tottenham fans to consider that they managed to cut a 13-3 aggregate scoreline to a more respectable 5-3. But, Arsenal fans, here's something at least to brighten your Sunday evening: at least your manager's not in court tomorrow. See you soon.

17.59 The Arsenal crowd chanting "spend some f---ing money" and "you don't know what you're doing" as the players troop from the pitch. Incredible how quickly things can turn, isn't it? All of a sudden, Arsenal are right back on their knees, five points behind Chelsea in fourth. In fourth. That's the limit of Arsenal's ambitions at the moment. City, for what it's worth, are 18 points ahead of them.

17.57 What a crucial win for United! A hugely impressive performance to come to the Emirates, weather a ferocious second-half storm, and steal the points. For Arsenal, it's a third defeat in a row after the losses to Fulham and Swansea. The Champions League is looking increasingly like something they're going to be watching on ITV next season.

FULL TIME Arsenal 1-2 Manchester United

90+5 min Welbeck was through there, but then lost his footing! United broke with Rooney, who timed the pass to Welbeck perfectly. Welbeck turned inside and slipped just as it looked like he was going to put United 3-1 up! Song gets booked for an earlier foul on Rooney.

90+4 min Van Persie almost in there! A long diagonal ball to the back post, Walcott headed it back across goal, and Smalling got a crucial flick-on just as Van Persie was closing. The ball comes back from Yennaris, Mertesacker gets his head to it, and Evra blocks it with his body! Shouts for hands, but not with any real conviction to them.

90+3 min United with a free-kick just inside the Arsenal half. Rooney passes short, gets the ball back and then punts the ball straight to Vermaelen. What can Arsenal do?

90+2 min Arshavin passes it straight to Valencia as Arsenal look to build a promising attack. I mean, nobody likes to see a player getting barracked by his own fans, but he doesn't really help himself, does he?

90+1 min Koscielny can't keep the ball in, and it's a goal kick for United. "Here in the States, concussions are becoming a really big deal," says David Nemeth. "Obviously Walcott had a serious head injury, but is continuing playing. This is quite dangerous for Walcott. Is there any discussion within the FA about sitting players who suffer concussions?" Hmmm. I'm going to have to say I don't know that.

90 min United just knocking the ball around now. Scholes is such a good player for this. You barely notice when he touches the ball, because he touches it so little. Now, long diagonal ball for Walcott, and Evra cuts him down. Free-kick on Arsenal's right, yellow card to Evra, and FIVE MINUTES of added time.

89 min Mertesacker's now playing as a striker for Arsenal. The ball's played into his feet by Song, possibly expecting Mertesacker to gather the ball, swivel and turn in one fluid movement, leaving Carrick for dead. This was deeply optimistic.

87 min Sorry to keep banging the Benayoun drum, but where is he? He's not going to come on today, as Arsenal have made their third change. Koscielny again strongly in on Welbeck, but he doesn't get the ball there, and gives away a free-kick.

85 min Robin van Persie's been booked. While I was trying to work out what that was for, Rosicky clipped Rooney from behind and got himself a yellow card as well.

84 min "Usually wild horses wouldn’t drag me away from this fixture," writes Kim Taylor, "but I’m too ill to be there, alas. I believe Arsenal will come back into the game; Oxlade-Chamberlain is still young and such a promising talent. Lost his composure a bit, seemingly, but he’ll grow in stature on the pitch. Oh, and RVP? What class! (she says throwing the hot water bottle into the air!)"

83 min Ramsey's skating on thin ice here! He gives away a free-kick as he goes up for a high ball, and Arsene Wenger decides to haul him off and put on Ju-Young Park before he can do any more mischief.

81 min GOAL! Arsenal 1-2 Manchester United (Welbeck) Ruthless from United! Brilliant work from Valencia to create that one, although the last touch before Welbeck stabbed it home from 10 yards was actually Arshavin, who was more culpable than anyone for that goal. Valencia had the ball on the right touchline, and Arshavin didn't look bothered in the slightest, backing off, letting Valencia turn inside without putting in the slightest sniff of a challenge. Valencia played the one-two, shook off Arshavin, Arshavin tried to scrape the ball away but only found Welbeck, who hit it first time. Oh, Arshavin. Oh, Arsenal.

80 min Jeff Wigham suggests "freezing a few examples of Van Persie to be able to bring a new one out to replace the current one once he gets fed up enough with the lack of ambition at the club and leaves. Maybe we can find room in the freezer for a few Fabregas models as well?" And if there isn't room in the freezer, there's plenty of room in the trophy cabinet...

79 min Walcott has got to his knees. It doesn't appear to be anything too serious, thank heaven. He's still clutching his head, though, and Arsenal will be down to 10 for the time being.

77 min Yennaris crosses from the right, and Walcott and Lindegaard collide as Walcott tries to prod it home! Walcott has stayed down after that - he hasn't moved - and Gary Lewin is almost racing onto the field before Valencia can even put the ball out.

76 min Gosh, it's all happening - off the ball, at least. Rafael, the substitute, is himself substituted for Ji-Sung Park. Paul Scholes comes on for Nani, who hobbles off after a tackle from Koscielny. For which Koscielny appears to have been booked.

74 min Loud, ringing boos as Andrey Arshavin replaces Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain! Arshavin is being booed onto the pitch! Wenger was planning to take the teenager off before his superb work for Van Persie's goal, but that hasn't saved him. He didn't look to be flagging either, and replacing him for what may as well be a 5ft 7in stack of fruit crates looks to be a baffling decision.

71 min GOAL! Arsenal 1-1 Manchester United (Van Persie) Brilliant! That's a little stroke of genius from Robin van Persie, and Arsenal are deservedly level! Arsenal break with Oxlade-Chamberlain, who cuts inside from the left before slipping a reverse ball to Van Persie. Shades of Michael Owen's winning goal in the 2001 Cup Final as he manages to squeeze a finish through Evans's legs and into the far corner with the angle narrowing. That's as good a finish as any 30-yard screamer or acrobatic volley. Talisman. Maverick. Etc.

70 min Rosicky runs the ball down the right. He's running into a dead end. Song tries to spread it left to Vermaelen, but he can't control it. United break, but Koscielny puts in a superb tackle on Rafael. Meanwhile, Nimish Varadkar imagines how a team of 11 Van Persies might line up...

68 min And he catches it safely enough. But Yennaris then gives it away to Rooney, who sprints down the right and wins the corner from Song.

67 min Szczesny's injured his hand trying to grab the ball ahead of an onrushing Welbeck. He's getting a bit of treatment, but now he's got a corner to face. Nani to take from the left.

66 min Nani crosses low from the left. Mertesacker shuffles the ball away, and Arsenal can break with Oxlade-Chamberlain on the left. To Van Persie, who crosses well, but it's headed away. Terrific stuff, this. This game on a knife edge.

65 min Valencia and Oxlade-Chamberlain in a thrilling foot race to get to a loose ball on the Arsenal left. Valencia wins, just.

63 min Welbeck! Mertesacker scrapes it off the line! United were three inches away from putting this game to bed there! Welbeck outpaced Mertesacker as both chased Carrick's long header from midfield, slid the ball past Szczesny but without much power, and Mertesacker was able to trundle back and clear.

62 min Oxlade-Chamberlain misses from 18 yards! Arsenal have had the chances to turn this game on its head! It was Koscielny, of all people, with a terrific intrepid run to the edge of the area, and then when he lost it, using his muscle to win the ball back. The ball went right for Oxlade-Chamberlain, who had time to line it up, and went for the near post, but dragged it just wide.

61 min Yennaris gets down the right and tries to cross off-balance. We all know what happens when you try to cross the ball off-balance. Some young kid in row G now has the souvenir of a lifetime.

&lt;noframe&gt;Twitter: Jim White - MUFC continuing their recent habit of letting teams they should have killed off back in the game...&lt;/noframe&gt;

60 min Vermaelen lines one up from about 28 yards, but drags it well wide. Shot of Thierry Henry in the stands, sipping on a cup of franchised coffee.

58 min Rosicky! How much better have Arsenal looked since their midfield started making runs again? Van Persie takes the ball down the left, his cross deflects out to Ramsey, who squares it for Rosicky, whose toe poke from 12 yards is blocked by Evra.

57 min Rooney attempting to spread the ball right - the pass that Paul Scholes seemed to have perfected - and it sails straight out for a goal-kick. Valencia resists the urge to glare at Rooney with the hurt of a wronged wife who realises her husband is never going to reciprocate her devotion.

56 min You know when you try and smash the ball with the outside of your foot and it comes off the inside? Yep, Valencia's just done that. Happens to all of us. Heartening, really. But again Nani got far too much room on the left.

55 min Ramsey! So nearly brilliant! Oxlade-Chamberlain cuts in from the left and squares it for Ramsey. Ramsey's first touch is superb, taking it into the area and setting up the shot perfectly. He lashes it at the top corner, but lashes it just over. This is going to be a very entertaining second half indeed.

54 min Nani down the left, leaving Yennaris standing, and Welbeck is inches away from heading home! Mertesacker gets in ahead of him and clears.

52 min Van Persie with one of the misses of the season! An open goal to aim at, his left foot swinging through the ball, and he slices it a yard wide! It was Rosicky - just one Rosicky - who robbed Smalling on the halfway line, and all of a sudden Arsenal had two on one. Rosicky was in a perfectly good position to shoot himself, but squared it to Van Persie, and once Van Persie had sidestepped Evans and wrong-footed Lindegaard, the net was already preparing itself for a bulging. Instead... extraordinary.

50 min Van Persie, all fans of genius will be pleased to know, is back on the field. "I'd rather play with 1 Van Persie than 100 Rosickys," writes Novaro Thompson.

48 min Van Persie is down! He's clutching his knee! Eeek! This what every Arsenal supporter sees when they close their eyes if they've had a very traumatic day. Looks to me that he's merely been trod on slighty by Valencia, so hopefully just uncomfortable rather than season-ending.

47 min Sky's man with a microphone, warm coat, and moustache Geoff Shreeves tells us that Phil Jones has merely twisted his ankle a bit and should be fine.

46 min It's that team in red and white called Arsenal to get us started. Yennaris is on for the faltering Djourou at half time.

16.51 That goal really caps a disappointing first half for Arsenal. Despite theoretically having greater numbers in midfield, Ramsey and Rosicky were gradually pushed back over the course of the half. When they went forward, they had no options. When they defended, they had no organisation. Arsene Wenger's going to have to throw a few water bottles around in that dressing room.

"The only problem with your question is that any clone of RVP wouldn't sign for Arsenal," writes David Nemeth.

Back in a few minutes.

HALF-TIME Arsenal 0-1 Manchester United

45+1 min GOAL! Arsenal 0-1 Manchester United (Valencia) Fergie's on his feet! Arsenal on their knees! A goal that they deserved to concede but looked like getting away with this half. Again, it's their makeshift full-backs who are culpable. Djourou doesn't get anywhere near close enough to Nani, nor to Giggs as he receives the ball and crosses from the left. Meanwhile, Valencia had taken up a position behind Vermaelen, who didn't have a clue where he was. Valencia slipped ahead of Vermaelen and headed well back across goal. That's a well crafted goal for United, but a desperately poor show from Arsenal.

45 min Three minutes of injury time because of that knock to Jones. Nani again gathers it on the left and crosses low across the face of goal. Szczesny gets hands on it, and does well to hold on, given the ball was curling away from him.

44 min Oxlade-Chamberlain, now on the left again, is fouled by Rafael, but gets up again and keeps the ball! He passes it to Rosicky on the edge of the area, and his shot... Jesus Christ. That shot is Tomas Rosicky's last two years at Arsenal in microcosm. It dribbles well wide. Rafael, by the way, got booked for that foul on Oxlade-Chamberlain.

43 min Now Ramsey goes into the book for a hasty challenge on Giggs. "My good fellow," writes Kieran Simcox, "it is not eleven Van Persies you need but eleven Balotellis! The ref won't be able to see them stamping on all the players."

42 min Song and Rooney go up for a high ball. Song's arm is a little high there, and he gets booked. Fair play to Rooney for not making the most of it, though.

41 min Djourou slides on Nani and misses! Nani prowls menacingly towards goal from the left. Welbeck's unmarked in the area, but Nani instead tries to curl it into the far corner from a tight angle, and almost hits the corner flag.

40 min Walcott and Ramsey exchange passes on the right. Walcott tries to get the cross in from the right, but it hits Carrick and goes out for a throw. From it, Djourou is outmuscled by Evra, who comes away with it.

39 min Arsenal break again with Ramsey. Inside to Walcott. Back out to Ramsey. Ramsey swings the ball in first time for Van Persie. It's a good cross, but Smalling does well to head the ball away.

37 min Giggs on the edge of the area, tries to dink it through for Rooney. Rooney pulls his foot back, tumbles over, and wants a penalty. Of course he does. Get up, you tart. There was contact with Djourou, but about two or three seconds before Rooney decided the ball was squirming away from him.

36 min There, you see, is Arsenal's problem at the moment. They win the ball in their own half and Song can break. But where are his options? Ramsey has been pushed back and back into almost a holding role, Rosicky's wandering around in the centre circle looking at the backs of his hands or something, and Song eventually has to go sideways.

35 min Nani! That's the best chance United have had! United working it down the left hand side. Evra cuts it back to Nani about 16 yards out, and he tries to stab a cheeky little shot in at Szczesny's near post. Szczesny saves.

34 min Rosicky runs the ball to Van Persie on the corner of the area. Van Persie has his back to goal, looking for Rosicky onward run. Rosicky runs straight into Van Persie's blind spot. Confused, Van Persie passes the ball straight out of play. Best league in the world.

33 min Djourou challenges Nani, but Nani gets away from away and comes away with the ball! To Evra on the left, who squares the ball into the area. Magnificent work from Koscielny to slide across and get a foot in. But United are definitely warming up here.

32 min "I love your question," writes Andrew-Jo Shaughnessy. "Many years ago I argued with friends that the 'best' player in the Premiership was whoever 11 of would make the best team. 11 RVPs would be good but the best team would be 11 Stevie Gs." I'm just going to throw Michel Vorm in there. A team of 11 Michel Vorms would not, I would wager, be all that bad. You've got height, touch, calmness, agility. And, more importantly, you have a goalkeeper. Or 11 of them.

31 min And Giggs's free-kick eludes everyone and goes out for a goal-kick.

30 min Giggs dances away from Ramsey and charges down the right. Vermaelen attends, but Giggs turns back inside, Vermaelen grabs his arm like a child clinging on to their mother on their first day at school, and it's a free-kick.

29 min It's just the final flourish that has been lacking for Arsenal so far. Van Persie with a delightful pass into the path of Ramsey, but the ball gets caught up in Ramsey's feet and he loses possession.

28 min Nani tries to turn Djourou with a slippery little body feint. Djourou gets a foot in and puts it out for a throw.

26 min Welbeck! That was trouble for Arsenal! Valencia with a lovely dinked ball over the top into the right channel, and Welbeck is very good in these shoulder-to-shoulder situations. Koscielny was the adversary this time, and he did just enough to get a toe in and knock it clear.

25 min Walcott slices wide from 16 yards! Song moves the ball out to the right, and Oxlade-Chamberlain weaves inside Evra and cuts it back to Walcott, but the shot is an ugly one. Oxlade-Chamberlain's playing Walcott off the park at the moment.

24 min Oh, Walcott! Awful again! He's taking up more of a central role, Walcott, and as he receives Ramsey's pass with his back to goal he tries to spread it wide for Oxlade-Chamberlain. Again, nowhere near the guy.

23 min Valencia slips Giggs back in on the right, and Giggs's low cross to the near post is smothered by Szczesny. Giggs remonstrates with his strikers for not making the run, but it was pretty awful cross anyway.

22 min Djourou heads it away, but it comes back to Nani on the left. Rooney's flick on at the near post, and that could have gone anywhere! It goes out for a corner on the United right.

20 min Evans with a long ball looking for the artifically-thatched head of Rooney. Mertesacker's header is more up-up than away, but Djourou completes the clearance.

19 min United again get the ball in from the right. Rafael's cross is knocked out for a throw by Koscielny.

18 min United get a corner on the right, and Arsenal have switched off! Giggs walks the ball into the Arsenal area before anybody thinks about closing him down, and Mertesacker has to put in a good leap at the far post to head his cross away ahead of Rooney.

17 min And Rafael does come on as Jones leaves the pitch head first. "Coming on for number four, Phil Jones, number 21, Rafael," the PA announcer says. "WHO?" the Emirates crowd hoot in unison. Rafael. The man just said. Pay attention, you lot.

15 min Jones has stayed on the ground after that slip. I think he might have sprained an ankle there. The stretcher is on, and Rafael is warming up on the sidelines. I think it's Rafael. It could be Fabio. It could be Scholes. So hard to tell players apart these days...

14 min Nani dinks it in from the left. Mertesacker heads it away, and Arsenal can break with Walcott as Jones slips! Walcott dances it to the left byline, tracked by Carrick, before trying to fire it to the near post. But Van Persie had peeled back to the penalty spot, and Walcott didn't spot him.

13 min Good strength again from Oxlade-Chamberlain to recycle possession with Evra crawling all over his back. But Djourou puts the ball straight out of play, again passing it far too far in front of Oxlade-Chamberlain. How fast do they think this man is?

12 min Walcott again dances inside, and spots the run of Oxlade-Chamberlain, in gallons of space on the right. The pass, alas, is horrific. Oxlade-Chamberlain's pretty quick, and he couldn't get within 15 yards of it before it whooshed out for a throw.

11 min Long ball from Ramsey to Walcott, who touches it nicely first-time to Rosicky. He slips it back to Walcott, whose shot from the edge of the area is weak.

10 min Rooney beats Mertesacker in the air, but Djourou picks up the loose ball. Oxlade-Chamberlain receives the pass, holds off Evra, and wins the throw.

9 min Evra's ball is cut out by Vermaelen, but the ball rebounds back into the United half. Patient start by both sides.

8 min Oxlade-Chamberlain and Walcott have switched flanks. Walcott's now working the left flank, having started on the right.

7 min Van Persie slips it to Ramsey who turns, sees Van Persie's run, but decides to go for goal himself. It takes a deflection and is easily scooped up by Lindegaard.

6 min Vermaelen bombing down the left touchline, as he loves to do. For Vermaelen, defending is just something he has to get through to get to the fun part, like the small print on a mortgage contract. Arsenal retain possession.

5 min Ramsey tries to play a weighted pass through for Walcott. Smalling cuts it out.

4 min A high tempo so far. Arsenal playing an energetic pressing game, but when they lose the ball Rooney's in plenty of space 35 yards out. He slips it to Nani, gets it back, tries to play in Giggs, who can't beat Djourou for pace. There's not many people Giggs can beat for pace these days. In fact, they don't even let him do sprints in training for his own dignity. He just takes part in a few light physical jerks with Scholes, Berbatov and Mike Phelan. Phelan generally wins.

2 min Jones robbed on the right, and Oxlade-Chamberlain's away! Ferocious pace from Oxlade-Chamberlain, his little legs pumping so quickly they almost begin to warp. He finds Van Persie in the centre, who returns it to Oxlade-Chamberlain on the left byline. Jonny Evans pokes out a desperate toe and nudges it clear.

1 min Nani tries to bring a skyscraping ball down by the corner flag, but it just dribbles over the line before he can get a boot on it. It looks like Jones is starting at right-back for United, with Smalling in the centre.

16.02 Right, off we go!

"Surely no-one would start more than 4 RVPs," writes Jacob Tree. "But Wayne Rooney, on the other hand, is often United's best attacker, midfielder and defender. I'll have eight please, and throw in a couple for the bench."

Interesting. But if you started eight Wayne Rooneys, how many would have left on the pitch by the end? These are the things you have to consider. (These are the things no sane human should be obliged to consider.)

15.59 The big screen at the Emirates is playing highlights of Arsenal glories from the past. They show Tony Adams's immortal goal for Arsenal against Everton at Highbury, along with Martin Tyler's legendary "WOULD YOU BELIEEEEEVE IT?" As 1998 Martin Tyler resonates over the PA system, 2012 Martin Tyler, a much less agitated iteration, cuts in over the airwaves. It's a surreal moment.

15.56 As the teams line up in the tunnel - Arsenal in their traditionals, United in their blue and black stripes, it's time for predictions, predictions, predictions. I'm going to go for 8-2 to Arsenal.

15.54 "It's Ryan Giggs rather than Paul Scholes in the veteran's slot," says Martin Tyler. I do like the idea of there being an actual veteran's slot in the team, like the special seat on the bus that you have to give up to an old person or a pregnant woman.

15.51 No Henry for Arsenal either, not even on the bench. "Arsenal's only attacking threat on the bench is Benayoun (gulp)," writes Vekram Jenarthanan. "Is it too much to ask Van Persie to score a couple, and then Vermaelen to clone himself thrice and play himself in defence?" Probably. Still, would you want Vermaelen at right-back? Two left-footed Vermaelens in the middle? Which gives rise to an interesting question: if you could clone a star player - Van Persie, let's say - an unlimited number of times, how many would you actually want?

"Jonathan, this one had Titanic disaster written all over it for the good ship Gooner, but I see the Ox and Verminator in the line-up, so I'm off to the (one) pub in LA that shows fitba at 8am," writes Damian Durrant. Have a nice time, Damian.

15.30 Astonishing scenes at Eastlands, where Mario Balotelli's penalty in the fifth minute of injury time has given Manchester City a 3-2 win over Tottenham. All the pressure on United, then, and Sir Alex has given a start to a man who eats pressure for breakfast and then takes out a super-injunction on it. Ryan Giggs replaces Paul Scholes and Phil Jones replaces Rafael in a team that is otherwise unchanged from the one that beat Bolton last weekend. For Arsenal, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain makes his first ever Premier League start. Wenger doesn't doubt him, does he? Thomas Vermaelen also starts, we assume at left-back. Rosicky replaces Arteta. What does Yossi Benayoun have to do to get a run in the team?

15.20 Ha, bet that put the frighteners on you, Arsenal fans! I imagine you were feeling the same sort of cold dread you felt when you saw the team for Old Trafford and realised you'd never heard of most of your subs bench. So I was just having a little joke with you there. Unfortunately, you'll realise I wasn't joking about Tomas Rosicky. Here are the actual teams.

15.00 Part two of what we're going to call El Top-Of-The-Table-Clashico sees Arsenal, without doubt one of the very best teams in north London, taking on Manchester United, one of the top two teams in Manchester. City and Tottenham are still knocking lumps out of each other at Eastlands, but over on this side, we're building up to what those of you who remember what the Premier League was like before last summer will still recognise as one of the biggest matches of the season. Good to have you with us. Pull up a chair. Tap your watch. Chuck a water bottle. This is about to get real. Team news to follow; in the meantime, if you want to do an email, the technology exists for that.